The Effect of Age on Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness in Healthy Subjects

INTRODUCTION: To assess the normative values of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in healthy Turkish subjects using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Spectralis®, Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) and its relationship with age and gender.
METHODS: One hundred sixty-nine emmetropic healthy subjects (84 men; 49.7%, 85 women 50.3%) underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination. The subjects were divided into 5 groups according to age; Group 1 (n = 42): 18-29 years, group 2 (n = 34): 30-39 years, group 3 (n = 33): 40-49 years, group 4 (n = 34): 50-59 years, group 5 (n = 26): 60 years and older.
RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in mean SFCT values among different age groups (p <0.05). Mean SFCT was highest in subjects under 30 years (364.87 ± 71.24 µm) and lowest in subjects over 60 years (261.25 ± 52.39 µm). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between age and SFCT values (r= -0.52, p< 0.001). Slope of change in SFCT over time in the subjects was -2.59 µm per year. When all subjects were evaluated, the mean SFCT value was 322.73 ± 64.00 µm in men and 310.47 ± 60.11 µm in women (p= 0.34). Except group 4, SFCT did not differ between men and women (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: SFCT decreases with aging and sex does not seem to alter the measurements. Our normative data according to age groups and gender might be used to demonstrate SFCT changes in various retinal and choroidal diseases in Turkish population.